Growing in Grace

But
grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To
him be glory both now and forever! Amen. ~2 Peter 3:18

We have an Example to Follow.

1 Peter 2: 21-24

To
this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an
example, that you should follow in his steps. “He committed no sin, and
no deceit was found in his mouth.” When they hurled their insults at
him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats.
Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. “He himself bore
our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and
live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” For “you
were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd
and Overseer of your souls.

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We have Clear, Distinct Commandments.

Love God.

Matthew 22: 37-38

Jesus
replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all
your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest
commandment.

1 John 5: 2-3

This is how we know that we
love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands.
In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands
are not burdensome,

Love Our Neighbors.

Matthew 22: 39-40

And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Galatians 5: 14

For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

1 John 4: 7-11

Dear
friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who
loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does
not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among
us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live
through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us
and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends,
since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

Ephesians 4: 31 - 32

Get
rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with
every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another,
forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Love Our Enemies.

Matthew 5: 43 - 48

“You
have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’
But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to
rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the
unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get?
Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your
own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do
that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Simple Commandments - although not so simple to follow.

Galatians 5: 16-18

So
I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the
flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the
Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each
other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led
by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

Ephesians 5:15-16

Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.

However, we have tools to use and actions to take to help us

Study God's Word:

2 Timothy 3: 16-17

All
Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking,
correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may
be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Psalm 119: 11

I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.

1 Thessalonians 5: 20-22

Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil.

Pray

Pray continually

1 Thessalonians 5:17

pray continually,

Phillipians 4: 6-7

Do not be anxious about anything, but
in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present
your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all
understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Pray for understanding, guidance and help

Psalm 119: 18

Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.

James 1: 5-7

If
any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to
all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you
ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a
wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not
expect to receive anything from the Lord.

Matthew 11: 28

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

1 Peter 5: 6-7

Humble
yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up
in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Pray for one another

James 5: 16

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so
that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and
effective.

Pray sincerely

Matthew 6: 5 - 8

“And
when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray
standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by
others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But
when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your
Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in
secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like
pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.
Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask
him.

Ask according to His will

1 John 5: 14-15

This
is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything
according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears
us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.

John 15: 7

If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

James 4: 1-3

What
causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires
that battle within you? You desire but do not have, so you kill. You
covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do
not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive,
because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on
your pleasures.

Example given by Christ - The Lord’s Prayer

Matthew 6: 9-13

After
this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed
be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in
heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us ourdebts, as we
forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us
from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for
ever. Amen.

Luke 11: 2-4

He said to them, “When you pray,
say: “ ‘Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each
day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone
who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.’ ”

Worship

With Others

Psalm 95: 6-7

Come,
let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker; for
he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his
care. Today, if only you would hear his voice,

Psalm 122: 1

I rejoiced with those who said to me, “Let us go to the house of the LORD.”

Hebrews 10: 24-25

And
let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good
deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of
doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day
approaching.

Colossians 3: 16-17

Let the message of Christ
dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all
wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God
with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or
deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the
Father through him.

John 4: 23-24

Yet a time is coming and
has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the
Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father
seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and
in truth.”

Hebrews 13: 15-16

Through Jesus, therefore,
let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips
that openly profess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share
with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

Seek God's Will

Be lead by the Holy Spirit

Matthew 6: 31-33

So
do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or
‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and
your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his
kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you
as well.

John 14:16-17

And I will ask the Father, and he
will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the
Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees
him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be
in you.

John 14: 26

But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit,
whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will
remind you of everything I have said to you.

Ephesians 5: 18-20

Do
not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled
with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs
from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always
giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord
Jesus Christ.

Galatians 5: 18-24

But if you are led by
the Spirit, you are not under the law. The acts of the flesh are
obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and
witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition,
dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I
warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not
inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy,
peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and
self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to
Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

Walk the Talk

James 1: 22

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

Galatians 5: 25-26

Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

Luke 11: 28

He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”

2 Peter 1: 4-8

Through
these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that
through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped
the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very
reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to
goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to
self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to
godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you
possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from
being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus
Christ.

Colossians 3: 12-15

Therefore, as God’s chosen people,
holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness,
humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one
another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the
Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds
them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your
hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be
thankful.

1 Corinthians 15:33

Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character."

1 Thessalonian 5: 11-22

Therefore
encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are
doing. Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who
work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you.
Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in
peace with each other. And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those
who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak,
be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for
wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for
everyone else. Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all
circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not
quench the Spirit. Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them
all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil.

Share

Share your Faith

Acts 1:8

But
you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will
be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the
ends of the earth.”

Matthew 28:18-20

Then Jesus came to
them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to
me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in
the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and
teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am
with you always, to the very end of the age.”

1 Peter 3:15-16

But
in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an
answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you
have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear
conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good
behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

Colossians 4: 6

Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

Share your Treasures and Talents

1 John 3: 17-18

If
anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need
but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear
children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in
truth.

Matthew 6: 19 - 21

“Do not store up for yourselves
treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves
break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven,
where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in
and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Matthew 6: 1-4

“Be
careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be
seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in
heaven. “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with
trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to
be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward
in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know
what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret.
Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

1 Peter 4: 8-9

Above all, love each other deeply, because
love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another
without grumbling.

1 Peter 4:10-11

Each of you should use
whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of
God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so
as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should
do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be
praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever
and ever. Amen.

Serve Others

Galations 5: 13

You,
my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your
freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.

Hebrews 13: 15-16

Through
Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of
praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. And do not forget
to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is
pleased.

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Learn How to Deal with Temptation

James 1: 13-15

When
tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be
tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted
when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then,
after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is
full-grown, gives birth to death.

Matthew 26:41

“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

1 Timothy 6: 9-11

Those
who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many
foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and
destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some
people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced
themselves with many griefs. But you, man of God, flee from all this,
and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and
gentleness.

James 4:7

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

1 Corinthians 10:13

No
temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God
is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.
But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can
endure it.

Thank you, God, for loving us so much

John 3: 16-17

For
God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever
believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not
send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world
through him.